


Grease

by yeaka



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Vampire?, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-17 23:17:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21651385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Data gets called on his strange design.
Relationships: Data/Geordi La Forge
Comments: 12
Kudos: 69





	Grease

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Star Trek or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

Data’s been off duty for precisely twenty-three point five-two minutes when he’s summoned to sickbay. He answers with a curt, “I will be there, Doctor,” despite her brusque lack of information. Data doesn’t need any. He also doesn’t need sickbay. On the infrequent occasions where he does require repairs, Geordi is the one he goes to—it’s highly unlikely that Dr. Pulaski can do anything for Data at all.

But Dr. Pulaski is a senior member of the crew, and Data reports to sickbay immediately. He finds the place empty save for Dr. Pulaski herself and a single patient, sitting on the biobed. A quick browse of Geordi’s schedule—something Data always keeps on file—reveals that it’s Geordi’s routine physical. Such appointments with Dr. Crusher have always been relatively swift, though Geordi does have the slight complication of his VISOR. Evidently, Dr. Pulaski’s found something noteworthy that requires Data’s assistance. 

Data walks right to the biobed and greets, “Hello, Geordi. Doctor.”

Geordi mumbles, “Hey, Data,” without lifting his head. If not for his VISOR, he might be averting his eyes. Data makes a mental note of that behaviour. 

Dr. Pulaski doesn’t return the greeting at all, but instead asks, “What’s all this about La Forge giving you all his blood?”

As Data is not aware of what ‘all this’ was, having not been present for the earlier conversation, he can’t attest to that. But he can correct, “Not ‘all’, Doctor. Geordi is my regular donor, but I have never taken more than two hundred milliliters of blood at any one time.”

Now Geordi’s cheeks are darkening with the telltale rush of blood that denotes embarrassment. It’s a curious reaction, as that usually seems reserved for intimate or private matters, and Data ’s requirements to continue functioning are a matter of public record.

Nonetheless, Dr. Pulaski splutters, “What kind of robot runs on human _blood_?”

“Android,” Geordi mutters. 

Data tells him, “Thank you.”

Geordi nods. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Dr. Pulaski shakes her head. Evidently, she thinks Data’s humour subroutines are more advanced than they currently are. Even if he had advanced to proper jokes, he doesn’t see the humour in feeding on Geordi. That’s a simple part of their routine. But Dr. Pulaski insists, “I can’t believe you two are acting like this is normal. I’m _horrified._ It has to stop. _Now._ ”

Data simulates a blink. “Doctor, if I were to stop blood transfusions, I would no longer function.”

“So use synthetic blood!”

“Doesn’t work,” Geordi fills in. “And it’s fine, Doctor, really—”

“ _Really?_ ” She gives him a look that Data can only describe as incredulous. 

Data adds, “I do not hurt Geordi.”

“Yeah. I’m fine. Look, I really don’t mind—”

“ _You don’t mind_ ,” Dr. Pulaski dryly repeats, cutting him right off. “You don’t mind continually draining the very thing keeping you alive to pump into a computer—no offense, Data—”

“I cannot take offense, Doctor.”

“—Just so it can walk around with _your_ blood lubricating its circuits? That’s absurd! You may as well be feeding a vampire!”

Data can’t help pointing out, “That is what Geordi colloquially refers to me as during moments of friendly banter.”

Geordi lifts a hand to his face and groans, as though Data’s somehow made it worse. He can’t imagine how. Geordi always uses the term ‘vampire’ with such affection in his voice. He’s even joked that sustaining Data strengthens their bond, which in a way, it has—Data does feel his version of gratitude towards Geordi. He believes he would ‘miss’ their connection if someone else were to provide Data with their blood. 

Dr. Pulaski huffs, “You’re both insane.”

Data believes she isn’t actually diagnosing them that way. He does check, “Do my regular feedings pose any threat to Geordi?”

Dr. Pulaski’s nose wrinkles. She glances down at the biobed’s readings, which look to be within acceptable parameters. Her voice is still begrudging as she answers, “So long as he continues taking the medication he’s on, no. But it’s... you’re still insane.”

As humans are able to maintain emotional opinions separate from professional decisions, Data accepts that. He tells her, “Thank you for your concern, Doctor. Is Geordi able to leave?”

She grunts, “Yes, but...” She doesn’t look too happy about it. 

She doesn’t need to be. In Data’s own way, he _is_ happy. He’s always pleased to spend time with Geordi. Geordi hops off the biobed and grunts, “Thanks, Doc.”

She huffs. Together, Data and Geordi exit sickbay, their feet automatically steering them to Engineering. In the privacy of the turbolift, Geordi asks, “You hungry, Data?”

And Data answers, “Yes.”


End file.
